Unrequited
by NarglesInTheMistletoe
Summary: 'Every time something happens to me, you rush in trying to save me. You're infuriating.' For Imperative Nyx's Factor Competition.


**This is my audition for Imperatrix Nyx's _F A C T O R Competition. I hope you enjoy it._**

**I like more obscure couples, and I haven't done this before, so I thought I may aswell make it for my audition.**

**Review please. xx  
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><p><strong>Unrequited<strong>

_First Year_

'You know,' said a cheerful voice from behind him, 'it helps if you actually _use _the polish on the trophies.'

He glanced over his shoulder to see a small Hufflepuff girl standing over him, grinning as he scrubbed the 1786 Quidditch trophy. Her vibrant blue hair was pulled into a messy bun and her robes were stained with trophy polish, just as his were.

'I'm fine, thanks,' he snapped.

'Whatever,' she chortled, 'Fine by me if you want to be here all night and miss the end of the match. What did you do to get a Saturday detention anyway?'

Charlie glared at her, throwing his scrubbing brush aside and getting to his feet; being stockier than his brothers, he was hardly taller than her, and failed the intimidation he had aimed for. 'Set the mice out of Transfiguration class. Not that it's any of your business. What did _you_ do?'

'Bumped over Professor Snape's vials last time I was in his office.'

'Why were you in his office?'

'Bumped over my cauldron and set the class's shoes alight.'

Charlie smirked at her, and she gave him a reluctant smile.

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><p><em><span>Second Year<span>_

'Nice broom, Weasley.'

'Shut up, Tonks.'

'No, really. My grandfather says his Cleansweep works great.'

'What are you riding, then?'

Nymphadora grinned gleefully, and from behind her back presented Charlie with a Nimbus 800. 'Dad got it for me for Christmas.'

Charlie's blue eyes seemed to swell as he examined the broom. 'Wow,' he murmured breathlessly. 'Have you flown it yet?'

'Course,' she scoffed. 'Do you think I'm going to turn up to try-outs never having ridden it before? How much of a prat do you think I am?'

'My brother Bill was put on the team, and he'd never flown this before,' said Charlie indignantly, motioning to his own broom.

'Ooh, well if _Bill_ did it, it must be right.'

'Oh, shove off,' sighed Charlie, tucking his broom under his arm and continuing to trudge down the uneven path to the Quidditch pitch. 'I don't even see why you're here. Hufflepuff tryouts aren't for another two hours; it's going to take ages to get through the Gryffindors.'

'Yeah, but I want to watch you make a fool of yourself,' she teased, prancing beside him.

'You won't be saying that when I'm the Gryffindor Seeker,' he told her gloatingly.

'Yes, I will, because when _I'm_ Hufflepuff Seeker, we're going to beat you in every match until we graduate.'

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><p><em><span>Third Year<span>_

Brushing her violet hair from her face, she rested her broom over her shoulder and began to trudge up to the school. The rest of her team had already gone, not wanting to dwell on their lost match.

'Good game.'

She glanced over her shoulder. Charlie Weasley was following her, his own tattered broom over his shoulder and his face and Quidditch robes as equally muddy as her own.

She laughed bitterly. 'Sure.'

'I mean it,' he insisted. 'Everyone knows the Nimbus aren't good in wet weather. If it was any other day you would have knocked the shit out of me. We both know it.'

'Whatever.' She hurried away from him, but he was easily keeping in pace with her. He could hear her labored breathing as she clutched her side in a struggle to throw him off.

'Are your ribs alright? I saw that bludger, it looked like it was going pretty fast.'

'I'm fine,' she snapped.

'Do you want me to go to Madam Pomfrey with you? It wouldn't hurt just to check nothing's broken.'

She rounded on him, her cheeks flushing scarlet which she did not bother to conceal. The rain was dripping off his muddy, ginger hair, and his freckled face was pale in the chilly Autumn weather. And yet his blue eyes shone with eagerness, his lips pulled into a faint smile. 'What is your problem, Charlie? I told you to leave me alone. I expect the Gryffindors are wondering why their champion isn't celebrating with them.'

Charlie frowned. 'I just wanted to tell you played well. And I was worried you were hurt. '

She shook her head at him. 'I don't need your help.' And she turned back to the castle and continued to trudge through the mud.

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><p><em><span>Fourth Year<span>_

'Tonks?' he asked into the dark room. 'Tonks, I know you're here.' No response came through the dark, and his hand plunged into his jeans pocket and withdrew his wand. '_Lumos._'

From across the room a spark of blue flame flew at him.

'_Protego!'_ he cried, stumbling backwards as the flame collided with and was depleted by his shield charm. 'What the fuck was that?' he spat at her.

She rose from the teacher's chair on the other side of the deserted classroom, her wand withdrawn. 'What are you doing here?'

'I came to check if you were all right, obviously!' he bellowed.

'I'm fine,' she spat at him. 'Would you just leave me alone? Every time something happens to me, you rush in trying to save me. You're infuriating.'

'You're my friend! When your boyfriend cheats on you, of course I'm going to be concerned,' he spat at her.

'He was _not_ my boyfriend!' she shrieked. She sent another blue flame flying at him, and he was too slow to deflect it; it caught his side and the arm of his robes erupted in blue flames. He let out a cry, and sent a shower of water over himself.

'What was that for?' he demanded furiously, looking back up at her.

She sunk back into the chair, burying her face in her hands. 'I'm sorry,' she muttered.

He sighed and approached her. 'Look, Dora, it's Davies. He's a moron. All Davies are. All Ravenclaws are; they think the sun shines out of their arses. And Melanie Clearwater's a whore. We all know that. You'd have to have something wrong with you to want her over you.'

She smirked. 'God, you're a liar, Weasley.'

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><p><em><span>Fifth Year<span>_

'Let me go! Let me go! I want to see it!' she squealed gleefully.

From behind him laughter chorused from the huddle of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff fifth-years, their calls mingling together in Charlie's head as the group shared around the fire whiskey.

'Charlie, do_ not_ let go of her!'

'Come on, Weasley, don't stop her. I want to see this.'

'Who knew Tonks was a lightweight.'

'Not helping, you lot!' Charlie bellowed at them, as Nymphadora attempted to shake him off. With one last clumsy kick, she threw him off her and struggled over the rotten fence that lined the Shrieking Shack, stumbling hurriedly towards the looming building.

Charlie dashed after her, his head reeling due to the mead they had consumed. Just twenty metres from the shack, he caught hold of her wrist and pulled her small frame into his grip. He could hear their friends' laughter molding together in his head as Nymphadora continued to struggle.

'Charlie, come on, come on! Let's go see it! Let's see it! OWLs are over Charlie, let's fuck it up!'

He gave a tired laugh, not loosening his grip on her. 'How is it whenever I get shitfaced you just laugh while I throw my guts up, but whenever you do I end up running around looking after you?'

'You worry about me _too_ much,' she scolded, slapping her palm against his cheek in hysterical laughter. 'You must have been pleased when I was with Davies. I was his problem.'

Charlie shook his head. 'I really, really wasn't.' She frowned at him, and his cheeks reddened. 'Sorry,' he muttered.

She shook her head, before leaning up to bump her lips against his.

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><p><em><span>Sixth Year<span>_

'You still wear the pajamas Molly buys for you,' she teased, buttoning up the blue-checkered pajama top as she sat cross-legged on the end of his bed. '_Cute_.'

'Oh, shut up, you know what she's like,' he grumbled at her.

'Oh, yes, and what would mummy say if she knew you sneak me into the Gryffindor dorms every night?' she said teasingly.

'She will never know,' said Charlie. 'As far as I'm concerned, you don't exist to her anymore. You are not allowed to see her again. You've defiled her baby.'

'You love it.'

'Yes, I do.' He sat up as she slipped off his bed to pull on her jeans, watching as she brushed the magenta curls from her face. 'So, Hestia wants to go as a group to Madam Puddifoot's next week.'

Nymphadora snorted with laughter. 'So? We hate that place.'

Charlie shrugged. 'It's not so bad. I mean, it's Valentine's next Saturday, and everyone's going in pairs. And I just thought, you know, we could go together?'

She straightened up, frowning fondly at him. 'Seriously?'

'Why not?'

'Why would we? We have sex sometimes, Charlie; we're friends. But can you imagine what everyone will say if we turn up as each others Valentine's date?' she chortled.

Charlie slumped back on his bed pillows. 'Yeah, yeah, I know.'

Nymphadora leant over the bed and kissed his forehead. 'See you at breakfast.'

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><p><em><span>Seventh year<span>_

He shivered under her stare, too petrified to break it. She looked perfectly calm; just staring, lips together and vacant of the smile that they had boasted seconds before. The moon reflected in the lake and her eyes and he could not pick the colour of them. He looked away; he couldn't stare at her any longer.

'Sorry I said that, I just thought… we might not see each other next year.'

'Might not see each other? Jesus, Charlie, the five of us are renting a flat together. You have to tell me this now?' She shook her head at him and tore at the grass.

'I'm guessing you're not going to say it back.'

'Fuck off,' she said simply. 'What's this supposed to do? We're best friends; this works. Our little group, all through school. It was going to be like that next year too. Why did you do this?'

He buried his face in his hands, his elbows supported by his knees. 'I can't live with you and go on like this.'

'Suck it up, Charlie,' she sat. 'You've been doing it for seven years. Why are you giving up now? I can't believe you thought I didn't know.'

'We're not kids anymore, Tonks,' he snapped. He paused to sigh, before beginning in a mutter, 'You know if my NEWT scores are high enough… Dad knows this guy in Romania, works on a dragon sanctuary.'

She rolled her eyes. 'Running away to Romania because I won't say I love you back? Call yourself a Gryffindor?'

'Tonks…' He watched her as she got to her feet.

'I should go,' she said without meeting his gaze. 'Have fun at graduation tomorrow.'

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><p><strong>Sad storiiii.<strong>

**Review plez. x**


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